PREGNANCY WEEK 39 ~ HEALTH and FITNESS

39 WEEKS PREGNANT

Yay! Baby has finally reached full term! You’re probably feeling like you want to get this baby… The. Heck. Out. We’re not sure, but the impatience and discomfort moms-to-be feel around 39 weeks pregnant (and beyond!) might be nature’s way of getting you mentally prepared for delivery. Remember how freaked out you used to be about childbirth? Now, at week 39 of pregnancy, you don’t care what it takes, you just don’t want to be pregnant anymore!

How Big Is Baby at 39 Weeks?

At 39 weeks pregnant, baby is as big as a pumpkin. Your 39-week fetus measures about 20 inches long and weighs about 7.3 pounds. And baby just keeps growing, despite being so crowded inside your 39 weeks pregnant belly.

39 Weeks Pregnant Is How Many Months?

39 weeks pregnant is eight months and three weeks pregnant. Next week, you’ll have completed nine months of pregnancy, and will reach your due date (that is, if you don’t go into labor this week). This is exciting!

39 WEEKS PREGNANT SYMPTOMS

Typical 39 weeks pregnant symptoms—the ones that aren’t signs labor is happening now—are similar to what you’ve been experiencing the past few weeks. Most are signs that labor will happen soon though. This includes:

Braxton Hicks contractions. At 39 weeks pregnant, cramping or tightening of your uterus may seem pretty constant, no matter what you do. Usually these false labor pains start in the front of your body and ease up when you switch positions. You'll know it's real labor when they start at the top of your uterus and become more frequent and regular.
Pelvic pressure. While getting into position for birth, baby may be sitting so low that that your lower torso feels heavy and uncomfortable.
Lightning crotch. Because baby’s so low, his or her movements can hit some sensitive nerves, giving you sharp sensations in your pelvis—yep, like a lightning bolt! Yowch!
Urge to nest. Some moms-to-be say they get a surge of energy and strong desire to clean their home right before baby’s debut. Don’t go too crazy though. You don’t want to wear yourself out before the birth.
Mucus plug and/or bloody show. At 39 weeks pregnant, discharge that’s as thick as mucus and sometimes has a tinge of blood in it is your mucus plug. (The blood is, you guessed it, the bloody show.) And while many people consider this to be a sign you’ll go into labor soon, there’s no exact science to it, so it’s hard to say when.

If you’re the rare mom-to-be who’s 39 weeks pregnant with twins, kudos to you! You’ve kept those babies baking despite the odds of an early delivery—and despite your all-around discomfort. You’re probably feeling many 39 weeks pregnant symptoms, including the urge to get your twosome out of your 39 weeks pregnant belly and into the world. Don’t worry—the end is so near!

39 WEEKS PREGNANT SIGNS OF LABOR

Other symptoms are your body’s way of telling you baby’s making his or her arrival ASAP. At 39 weeks pregnant, signs of labor are the biggest things on your mind. It’s important to know what they are, but don’t worry too much about going into labor without realizing it. In most cases, labor symptoms will be so strong and so different from what you’ve been experiencing that you won’t be able to ignore them.

Call your OB if you experience either of these:

Water breaking. It might not be like it is in the movies—you might have a slow trickle instead of a huge gush of water. But if at 39 weeks pregnant the discharge is watery instead of its usual consistency, that probably means your amniotic sac has ruptured and you will likely go into labor within hours.

Regular contractions. If your belly’s tightening—and has been repeatedly for some time—start timing the contractions. If they keep coming and the time between them keeps getting shorter, you’re in the beginning stage of labor. Just how long this stage lasts will vary from mom to mom (yes, you’ll be a mom very soon!), so keep your OB updated, and follow his or her directions for getting to the hospital by the time you progress into active labor.

When you’re 39 weeks pregnant, no signs of labor may have appeared yet, and that’s fine too! The average first-time mom-to-be goes into labor naturally at 41 weeks, and a second-time mom tends to go at 40 weeks. And while some women start to show signs of labor—a dilated and/or effaced cervix, regular contractions, etc.—weeks or days before they give birth, others go from zero to 10 centimeters dilated within hours.

INDUCING LABOR AT 39 WEEKS

Now that you’re 39 weeks pregnant (full term!) and itching to give birth, you might wonder how to induce labor naturally at home. Gulping down castor oil and taking herbal remedies aren’t considered safe—and eating spicy food just isn’t going to do it. But there are a few things that are typically safe and may work:

Walking. Tie on those sneakers and go for a long, long walk. It’s not a medically proven method of inducing labor at 39 weeks, but some experts believe gravity will push baby down onto your cervix and the pressure will start dilation of the cervix.
Acupuncture. Again, it’s not proven, but there’s some evidence to suggest that this ancient practice regulates blood flow, which stimulates your cervix to dilate. Having sex. Some believe that having an orgasm can help bring on contractions. Couldn’t hurt to try, right?

For some women who are 39 weeks pregnant, the doctor might recommend a medical induction. Reasons for inducing labor include complications (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, a heart condition), placental problems, and infection of the uterus. Induction also may be recommended if you’re 39 weeks pregnant with twins or if your water broke but labor hasn’t started on its own.

39 WEEKS PREGNANT ULTRASOUND

Inside your 39 weeks pregnant belly, baby's probably able to flex his or her limbs now. Baby's brain is still rapidly developing—he or she’s getting smarter by the week! Baby's nails may extend past the fingertips now.

A 39 weeks pregnant ultrasound and non-stress test might be in order to check on your baby’s wellbeing—especially if you’re 39 weeks pregnant with twins. After seeing the results of these two tests, your doctor might say everything looks A-OK, or she might recommend an early delivery.

At 39 weeks pregnant, there’s nothing left to do except see the doctor each week, wait for baby, and keep your mind busy with little tasks. If they get done, great. If not, no biggie. We know it’s tough to relax, but try!